Method and arrangement for the treating of a floor surface

ABSTRACT

A method and an arrangement used in floor surface treatment. Especially the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor or the like is conducted by using a trowel tool fabricated from a substantially plastic-based material and removably connectable to the operating head of a concrete trowel machine, the purpose being to prevent discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same. A trowel tool is fastened to the operating head of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing for final troweling by means of the Velcro attachment principle by making use of attachment surfaces, which are included on the one hand in the operating head of a concrete trowel machine and on the other hand in the trowel tool and which are removably fastenable to each other.

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement as set forth in the preamble sections of independent claims directed thereto for a floor surface treatment, which is conducted with a hand-operated, walk-behind or ride-on concrete trowel machine provided with an operating head, such as a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms. Specifically, the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor and/or the like is conducted by using a plastic-based trowel tool removably connectable to the operating head of a concrete trowel machine, the purpose being specifically to prevent discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same.

When using conventional concrete trowel elements of metal in the aforesaid purpose, a problem that has been found is particularly discoloration occurring in the process of finishing concrete-, epoxy- and dry shake-coated floors, the cause of which has been shown to be friction-induced heating of the metallic trowel blade. Therefore, the discussed final troweling is currently conducted by using plastic trowel blades of plastic by means of which the discoloration of a floor surface can be avoided.

Commonly used today are plastic trowel blades, provided with fixed attachment arrangements, whereby attachment brackets, included therein and to be secured to the rotor of a concrete trowel machine, are fastened to the trowel blade typically by plastic welding and thus, first of all, manufacturing thereof is uneconomical and, second of all, transporting thereof is inconvenient and space-consuming because the fixed brackets prevent trowel blades from being stacked firmly on top of each other. In addition, trowel blades of this type are only commercially available in a specific diameter (900 mm).

In the above context there are also employed consistently flat plastic trowel blades, which are fastened with screws to a metal trowel arm linked to the rotor of a concrete trowel machine. A problem in this type of solution is first that, due to the wearing of the trowel blade, the fastening screws are able to make contact with a presently troweled floor surface with resulting marks thereon. On the other hand, the replacement of trowel blades is in practice highly laborious or so-called nondestructively impossible due to the wear of screw heads or e.g. concrete cured thereon.

Further, in reference e.g. to patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,801, currently used are also elongated, plastic-constructed, metal-reinforced trowel blades, which are fastened with screws to trowel arms connected to the actuator's rotor, the trowel blades being provided with a mounting portion, thus avoiding the situation that, as a result of the trowel blade wearing down, the fastening screws would come into contact with a presently troweled floor surface.

Also, the replacement of such trowel blades is in practice highly laborious and so-called nondestructively impossible due to the wearing of screw heads or e.g. concrete cured thereon. Moreover, in spite of having a metal reinforcement, such a plastic trowel blade is only a single-use product and requires replacement of the trowel blade in its entirety after excessive wearing of its plastic structure.

It is an objective of the present method and arrangement related to treating a floor surface to provide a decisive improvement regarding the foregoing problems and to thereby raise substantially the available prior art.

In order to attain this objective, the method and arrangement of the invention are principally characterized by what has been presented in the characterizing clauses of the independent claims directed thereto.

Some of the most important benefits gained by a method and arrangement of the invention should be noted to include the simplicity and effectiveness of parts and subassemblies involved therein, as well as of the use thereof, first by virtue of the trowel elements being both attachable and removable very easily and quickly merely by “opening” a Velcro-type coupling between attachment surfaces connecting the trowel element to the operating head of a trowel machine.

In the simplest application for a method of the invention, the trowel elements used therein are coupled directly to a trowel blade connected to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing. In an optional embodiment, wherein the operating head is removably fitted with concrete trowel elements made of metal, such as elongated trowel blades or a single-piece circular trowel disc, there are employed as attachment surfaces, on the one hand, one or more male/female Velcro strips fastened to a bottom surface of the concrete trowel elements or adapters capable of being removably attached thereto, and, on the other hand, one or more female/male Velcro strips fastened to a back surface of the trowel element.

Other preferred applications for a method and arrangement of the invention are presented in the dependent claims directed thereto.

In the subsequent description, the invention will be illustrated in detail while referring to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1a shows one typical hand-operated concrete trowel machine, having its rotor fitted with trowel blades,

FIG. 1b further shows one typical ride-on concrete trowel machine, having rotors thereof fitted with trowel blades,

FIGS. 2a and 2b show in a perspective view and in an assembly drawing, respectively, making use of the invention in an embodiment with a coupling made directly to a trowel blade fastened to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head of a concrete trowel machine,

FIGS. 3a and 3b show in a perspective view and in an assembly drawing, respectively, making use of the invention in an embodiment with a coupling made removably with an adapter to a trowel blade fastened to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head of a concrete trowel machine,

FIG. 4 shows the general principle for a method of the invention, when used in connection with a single-piece circular trowel disc, and

FIGS. 5a-5c show one preferred trowel element included in an arrangement of the invention in a top view, in a side view, and in an enlarged view of its rim.

The invention relates, first of all, to a method in treating a floor surface, which is conducted with a hand-operated, walk-behind or ride-on concrete trowel machine provided with an operating head A, such as a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms. Especially, the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor and/or the like is conducted by using a trowel tool, made of a substantially plastic-based material and removably connectable to the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine, the purpose being specifically to prevent discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same. A trowel tool 2 is fastened to the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing by means of the Velcro attachment principle by making use of attachment surfaces 2 a, 2 b, which are included on the one hand in the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine and on the other hand in the trowel tool 2 and which are removably fastenable to each other.

In the simplest application for a method of the invention, reference is made particularly to FIGS. 2a and 2b , depicting in a perspective view and in an assembly view, respectively, the way of utilizing the method of the invention as an embodiment connectable directly to a metal trowel blade 1 a fastened to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine. It is by virtue of this embodiment that the finishing of a floor surface can be performed extremely quickly and effectively by fastening a trowel tool 2 to a bottom of the metal trowel blade 1 a coupled both to its back surface and to each attachment arm of the rotor of the operating head A by means of attachment surfaces 2 a, 2 b based on reciprocal Velcro fastening.

Therefore, as the trowel tool is wearing down it is readily replaceable with another by virtue of Velcro attachment. Depending on the wear of a trowel tool, it may also be possible to carry on using the same trowel tool just by changing its position relative to the trowel blade or by rotating it on the same plane e.g. 180°.

In an application for a method of the invention, optional particularly with respect to the foregoing, reference is made to FIGS. 3a and 3b , depicting in a perspective view and in an assembly view, respectively, the way of utilizing the invention as an embodiment connectable with an adapter 1 a′ removably to a metal trowel blade 1 a fastened to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine. It is in the embodiment shown in the aforesaid figures that the adapter 1 a′ is attachable to the trowel blade 1 a by sliding along a guiding system 1 a′1 and by being locked at its end with a locking device 1 a′2.

In a further preferred optional application for a method of the invention, with particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 a-5 c, it is utilized in connection with a metal-constructed single-piece circular trowel disc 1 a coupled removably to the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing.

In the applications according to FIGS. 3a, 3b , 4 and 5 a-5 c there are employed as attachment surfaces, on the one hand, one or more male/female Velcro strips 2 a fastened to a bottom surface P of the trowel blade, the trowel disc 1 a or the adapter 1 a′ and, on the other hand, one or more female/male Velcro strips 2 b fastened to a back surface T of the trowel tool 2.

In a further preferred application for a method of the invention, employed in a concrete trowel machine, used in floor surface finishing, are trowel tools 2 varying from each other in terms of properties thereof, such as the diameter, thickness, material, shape and/or hardness thereof, which enables the use of a trowel tool individually best suited for the purpose.

On the other hand, the invention relates also to an arrangement for treating a floor surface with a hand-operated, walk-behind or ride-on concrete trowel machine provided with an operating head A, such as a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms. The arrangement comprises a trowel tool, made of a substantially plastic-based material and removably connectable to the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine especially in the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor and/or the like, specifically for preventing discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same. The arrangement comprises a trowel tool 2, which is capable of being fastened to the operating head A by means of the Velcro attachment principle for final troweling and for the fastening of which the operating head A, on the one hand, and the trowel tool 2, on the other hand, are provided with attachment surfaces 2 a, 2 b which are removably fastenable to each other.

In the simplest embodiment for an arrangement of the invention, reference is made particularly to FIGS. 2a and 2b , depicting in a perspective view and in an assembly view, respectively, an arrangement connecting the trowel tool 2 directly to a bottom of the metal trowel blade 1 a coupled to each attachment arm of a rotor included in the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine.

In an embodiment for an arrangement of the invention, optional particularly with respect to the foregoing, reference is made to FIGS. 3a and 3b , depicting in a perspective view and in an assembly view, respectively, an arrangement removably connectable with an adapter 1 a′ to a metal-constructed trowel blade 1 a capable of being coupled to each attachment arm of a rotor of the operating head A. It is in this embodiment that the adapter 1 a′ is attachable to the trowel blade 1 a by sliding along a guiding system 1 a′1 and by being locked at its end with a locking device 1 a′2.

In a further preferred optional embodiment for an arrangement of the invention, with particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 a-5 c, it is utilized in connection with a metal-constructed single-piece shaped circular trowel disc 1 a coupled removably to the operating head A of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 3a, 3b , 4 and 5 a 5 c, the attachment surfaces are provided by using, on the one hand, one or more male/female Velcro strips 2 a fastened to a bottom surface P of the trowel blade, trowel disc 1 a or the adapter 1 a′ and, on the other hand, one or more female/male Velcro strips 2 b fastened to a back surface T of the trowel tool 2.

In a further preferred embodiment for an arrangement of the invention, the arrangement includes trowel tools 2 different from each other in terms of properties thereof, such as the diameter, thickness, material, shape and/or hardness thereof.

The trowel tools 2, presented especially in FIGS. 4 and 5 a-5 c, are further provided with an edge fold 2′ promoting the immobility and improving the rigidity thereof, which may facilitate stacking the same on top of each other for shipping.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the one or more trowel tools 2 included in the arrangement are fabricated e.g. from ABS, PS, ABS+PC, PETG, PVC, PMMA, ABS+PMMA, PP, or APET plastic, especially the trowel disc according to FIGS. 4 and 5 a-5 c being preferably manufactured e.g. by vacuum forming. In this case, it is by virtue of a substantially flat appearance of the trowel tool included in the arrangement of the invention that vacuum forming is particularly well suitable for its manufacture, wherein a heated sheet plastic blank is pulled against a mold surface, whereby the mold features are reproduced on a manufactured trowel tool. Thereby is enabled the manufacture of trowel tools in a manner optimally most appropriate for given purposes while at the same time bearing in mind the wear resistance etc. of fabrication materials used in each occasion.

Especially for the fabrication of those with a larger diameter, e.g. 1200 mm or 1600 mm, it is also highly suitable to use rotational molding of e.g. PE plastic.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the above-described or -explained embodiments, but can be subjected within the basic idea of the invention to highly diverse modifications, whereby e.g. the shape, size, rim design, and material thickness of trowel tools may vary with respect to those presented in the drawings, in addition to which the fabrication thereof is possible not just from pure plastic but also from any suitable material which does not become significantly heated in a floor troweling process, such as e.g. from carbon fiber, a plastic composite, or a ceramic material, etc. 

1. A method in treating a floor surface, which is conducted with a hand-operated, walk-behind or ride-on concrete trowel machine provided with an operating head, such as a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms, whereby especially the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor and/or the like is conducted by using a trowel tool fabricated from a substantially plastic-based material and removably connectable to the operating head of a concrete trowel machine, the purpose being specifically to prevent discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same in final troweling, and whereby the operating head of the concrete trowel machine is fitted with a metal-constructed single-piece circular trowel disc, characterized in that a trowel tool is fastened to the operating head of a the concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing for final troweling by means of the Velcro attachment principle by making use of attachment surfaces, which are included on the one hand in the single-piece circular trowel disc operating head of a concrete trowel machine and on the other hand in the trowel tool. and which are removably fastenable to each other.
 2. The method according to claim 1, whereby the operating head of a concrete trowel machine used in floor surface finishing is fitted with metal-constructed trowel elements, such as elongated trowel blades or a single-piece circular trowel disc, characterized in that there are employed as attachment surfaces, on the one hand, one or more male/female Velcro strips fastened to a bottom surface of the concrete trowel elements or adapters enabling removable attachment thereto single-piece circular trowel disc and, on the other hand, one or more female/male Velcro strips fastened to a back surface of the trowel tool.
 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in a the concrete trowel machine, used in floor surface finishing, there are employed trowel tools varying from each other in terms of properties thereof, such as the diameter, thickness, material, shape and/or hardness thereof.
 4. An arrangement for treating a floor surface with a hand-operated, walk-behind or ride-on concrete trowel machine provided with an operating head, such as a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms, said arrangement comprising a trowel tool, made of a substantially plastic-based material and removably connectable to the operating head of a concrete trowel machine especially in the finishing of a concrete, epoxy, dry shake floor and/or the like, specifically for preventing discoloration of a presently treated floor surface while finishing the same in final troweling, and whereby the operating head of the concrete trowel machine is fitted with a metal-structured single-piece circular trowel disc, characterized in that the arrangement comprises a trowel tool and the metal-structured single-piece circular trowel disc, being provided with attachment surfaces to be fastened with each other, which is capable of being fastened to the operating head by means of the Velcro attachment principle. for final troweling and for the fastening of which the operating head, on the one hand, and the trowel tool (2), on the other hand, are provided with attachment surfaces, which are removably fastenable to each other.
 5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the operating head of a concrete trowel machine is fitted with metal-structured concrete trowel elements, such as elongated trowel blades or a single-piece circular trowel disc, characterized in that the attachment surfaces are established by one or more male/female Velcro strips fastened to a bottom surface of the concrete trowel elements metal-structured single-piece circular trowel disc (1 a) or adapters a removable attachment thereto, and by one or more female/male Velcro strips fastened to a back surface of the trowel tool.
 6. The arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that it includes trowel tools varying from each other in terms of properties thereof, such as the diameter, thickness, material, shape and/or hardness thereof.
 7. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the one or more trowel tools included therein are manufactured by vacuum forming.
 8. The arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the trowel tool is fabricated from ABS PS, ABS+PS, PETG, PVC, PMMA, ABS+PMMA, PP, or APET plastic. 